Stefano Di Renzo was born in Italy, where he pursued a degree in Engineering. Following the completion of his university studies, he relocated to Spain to undertake professional training in circus arts, theatre, and dance at the Municipal School of Circus Alcorcón (EMCA) in Madrid. He subsequently moved to London, where he graduated from The Circus Space (now known as the National Centre for Circus Arts). He is currently based in Stockholm, Sweden.
After earning his degree, he co-founded the theatre-circus company Compañía LA alongside Rubén García Río. The company’s debut production Hambre has been touring internationally since its premiere in 2006.
His first solo performance On My Way premiered at Festival Mirabilia in Italy in 2012 and has remained part of his touring repertoire. His second solo work Hold On premiered in 2015 and continues to tour outdoor festivals across Europe.
In parallel with the development of his solo practice, he has collaborated with a range of internationally recognised physical theatre and circus companies, including Ockham’s Razor, Theatre Rites, Company F.Z., The Generating Company, and Oily Cart.
Artistic approach
Throughout his artistic career, Stefano has pursued a dynamic integration of circus and physical theatre, examining potential meanings and narrative potential through equilibristics, object manipulation, and corporeal movement.
During and following his formal training in Madrid and London—where he specialised in slack rope, juggling, and physical theatre—his research focused on the interaction between performers and everyday objects. By recontextualizing these objects within theatrical frameworks, he investigated the performer-object relationship to mediate narrative and meaning on stage.
Over time, his creative methodology evolved to incorporate his background in engineering and technical rigging. This shift marked a transition from using objects as narrative tools to positioning the design and function of unconventional circus apparatus as the starting point for theatrical exploration. The apparatus/rigging design itself became a generative element, shaping the dramaturgy and dictating the performance language. While his work remains grounded in theatricality, it is increasingly driven by what is already inherent in circus.